Warden's Pursuit
by Chimera64
Summary: Rainey, an Alienage Elf and her journey through the world of Origins. I'd put this up before but then I changed almost everything because it was really boring :) Hope you enjoy!
1. Chapter 1

Rainey looked out the small barred window of the cell and tried to gauge how close it was to sunrise. Normally she wasn't that concerned about the start of the day, but as it was her execution scheduled for dawn she wanted to stay apprised of the situation. The sky to the east was already going from deep indigo to a faintish purple.

"TIme flies when you're almost dead," she muttered as she turned from the scene.

There was solace in the fact that she'd taken Vaughn down with her for what he'd done to her cousin, but not quite enough solace to keep her hands from shaking. She took a deep breath and tried to steady her nerves. It wasn't that she hadn't faced death before. She was a hired sword. But that had been different. The action of hunting someone down, of using her wits and her sword in a battle of life and death...well, a battle if she let them see her. She smiled shortly. She'd been quite good at her job. It wasn't surprising. Her mother had been the same.

No one ever really suspected the poor, helpless, foolish Alienage elf, especially not if the elf in question was female.  
She sighed and sat in the corner once more, resting her head on her knees and running her fingers down the soft, worn leather of her boots. Her mother's boots first. They didn't really fit, but they'd always given Rainey courage. She needed it now more than ever.  
She believed in the Maker, but she didn't spend her time talking with him or Andraste. When she needed to talk to someone she couldn't see she picked her mother.

"I just wanted to be like you," she whispered into the fast growing brightness of morning. "I wanted to move like a shadow and strike like a snake and I did. I learned all of that. I learned to be as good as you. But what good did it do me? YOu were doing something. You were fighting for equality. I sold my sword for enough gold to maybe run away. To run away so that I didn't end up chained to someone like Father. I don't even know if I rescued Shianni because I love her or because I wanted to stop the wedding." Rainey shook her head. "No. At least I did that much right. And he died a hero. Not like the rest of them. They sold me out, left me to die like the cowards they are. The cowards they've been trained to be." She felt her fists clench.

She still remembered the guard captain storming into the Alienage yelling about a "river of blood." Pompous bastard. It was really more of a lake. Especially after she'd gotten through hacking off Vaughn's head. She didn't feel one bit bad about the satisfaction she still got when she replayed the look in his eyes just before the sword fell.

But then, once they'd escaped, she'd stood in the crowd with the captain demanding answers and gradually felt eyes falling on her. Weighty stare after weighty stare begged her not to take them all down with her. Shianni, the only one who might have said something, was tucked away. Because Vaughn had raped her.

What could she have done but step forward? There had been enough elven blood spilled that day. They hadn't bothered to do anything but toss her into a cell and wait for Arl Urien to come back so he could watch her die. That had been three days ago. She'd been given enough water to ensure that she would live to see the execution block, but they hadn't bothered to feed her. That was fine with her. Nothing takes the appetite like knowing you're going to die.

She didn't even know how it was going to happen. She's killed an Arl's son, so it wasn't likely to be a pleasant way to go. No nice simple beheading. They'd probably hang her and leave her to strangle to death. She swallowed reflexively and rubbed her throat. Or maybe they'd flog her to death. That had happened once to an elf caught stealing bread. Or maybe they'd set her on fire. That had happened once too. He'd been caught with a sword and they'd decided to set an example.

Rainey clasped her hands together. "If you could put in a good word for me with the Maker I'd appreciate it. If I can just get out of this alive I'll be a better person. I'll make the world a better place. I'll join the Chantry-" she cut herself off before it got out of hand. She wasn't joining the Chantry and giving up sex. That was crazy talk. Not that she'd be having much sex when she was dead. "I'll only kill people who really, really, deserve it. I won't-"

"Times up knife-ears," a guard said as the door swung open. "On your feet like a good little girl."

She spat on his boots casually as she stood up to face him. Now that the moment was there she could feel a sense of calm flow through her. It was unexpected, but far from unwelcome. He yanked her out of the cell and fitted iron shackles tightly around her wrists, ankles, and finally a thick rough one around her neck. It was attached to a chain and he used it to drag her out into the courtyard.  
Rainey looked up at the bright morning sun as the charges were read. There was a newly built gallows to her left and at least that answered her question about how she was going to die. She was yanked over to the gibbet by a man in a black hood but as the rough iron was exchanged for prickly rope a voice spoke from the crowd.

"A moment if you please."

Murmurs came from the crowd as a dark haired man pushed his way through it to stop near Arl Urien. "It's him." "I'd heard he was in these parts, but what could he want with her?" "Maybe he wanted the Arl's son as a recruit." "That ship has sailed." "Shhh! He'll hear you!"

"I'm afraid I must speak with you," the man said quietly.

"Once this elf is dead," Arl Urien answered shortly as he cinched the rope tight.

"Now."

The man's voice brooked no argument and Rainey couldn't help but meet his eyes in confusion. He looked like the pirates she dealt with sometimes but his armor was too nice. Unless he was a damn good pirate.

"I am Duncan of the Grey Wardens-"

"I know who you are," Arl Urien spat. "Do you know why this...this...elf is standing here?"

"I heard the charges," Duncan answered, unfazed. "I am sorry for your loss."

He gave a slight bow, but his eyes rested on Rainey.

"However, if you won't agree to speak with me in private now, I have no choice but to take her from you in front of everyone."

"Take her?"

"I am invoking the right of conscription. From now on, this woman is with me."

"Andraste's flaming sword!" Rainey gasped out as the rope got tighter in Arl Urien's rage.

Duncan gave her a brief smile and flicked out a small dagger. In the space of seconds he'd sliced the rope away. Her fingers went to her throat, but there wasn't even a scratch. For a human, he wasn't half bad.

"Unlock the shackles," he said.

"You flout my authority here in front of everyone?" the Arl bellowed.

"I did ask for privacy." Duncan crossed his arms. "You know my right is absolute. Let her go."

The guard captain stepped up with the keys and Rainey was freed. Duncan turned and stepped down from the gallows.

"Come with me."

She flashed the Arl a dazzling smile and jumped down as well. Her mother must have some serious influence with the Maker.


	2. Chapter 2: Inadequate Funds

"Why'd you do that?" Rainey asked as they made their way down into Denerim.

"Partly because I had a talk with Valendrian. I've had my eye on you for a while now."

"What?"

"You do good work. You're really quite deadly. I assume they took your swords?"

"I don't know what you mean," she hedged as she remembered the Alienage sign. Elves found with swords will die by them.

"You don't need to lie to me. I'm recruiting you to join the order of the Grey Wardens. We're an order of men and women from every race, warriors and mages, barbarians and kings. There's no reason to hide what you are. An assassin. A sell-sword. A mercenary."

Rainey drew herself up and met his eyes. "All right. I am. And you're totally okay with having a noble-murdering, Alienage Elf assassin in your order?"

"Yes. I saved you for personal reasons as well."

"You don't say?" she asked dryly. She hadn't seen him as that type of human, but then again some of them liked the novelty of bedding an elf.

"I was conscripted with the noose around my neck as well."

"Piracy?" she asked.

"Robbery." He passed his hand over his beard. "Does the beard make you think I'm a pirate?"

"You are Rivani aren't you? I've rubbed elbows with my share of Rivani pirates." She shrugged. "So, now that you have me, what do we do?"

"We need to get you some decent clothes. A sword as well. I don't think the guard would take kindly to us for going back and asking for yours."

"No. Probably not." Rainey sighed.

Duncan put his hand on her shoulder briefly.

"I'm sorry it's lost."

At least he understood how wrong it would feel to have a new blade. She shrugged his hand away.

"I have money in the Alienage," she said. "I need to find a way to get it."

"We don't really have time for that," Duncan began.

"Do you have money to set me up? Or do you think maybe someone wants someone dead around here?"

"There's enough for a decent-"

"I don't want a decent anything. I want my money." She crossed her arms.

"You go back in that Alienage and even I can't guarantee your safety. It's not happening."

"So you get to tell me what to do now?"

"I'm your commanding officer. Yes."

"Well I don't want you buying me anything. If you let me borrow your sword I'll go make my own money."

Duncan raised an eyebrow at her. "It's almost as big as you."

"Not the short one."

"And what would you do with it?"

"I'm going to the Chanter's Board. There has to be something I can do for some silver."

He slowly handed her the short sword and she buckled it around her waist.

"Do not leave Denerim. Meet me before nightfall back here."

She gave him a sneer and the most sarcastic salute she could muster before she walked away. The Chanter's Board wasn't a place she frequented, and she was aware of the stares as she approached. She gave the humans her coldest look before she began to read the pleas for help posted on the old board. Most of them didn't pay well enough to attract her attention, but one near the bottom caught her eye. Apparently some of the alleys in Denerim were infested with bandits. From what she knew of the town she wasn't surprised. In fact it was more than likely that some of them were her clients. That would make it easier.

She headed for the city gates purposefully, bumping into one of the people who'd stood too close at the board. She only came away a few coppers richer, but the dagger was very nice. She flipped it into the air nonchalantly and caught it before pushing out the gate.


End file.
